Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his AP counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu early Friday took a holy dip in Krishna river, on the first day of 12-day Krishna Pushkaralu.

12-DAY KRISHNA PUSHKARALU TAKE OFF

Coinciding with Shravana Sukravaram, KCR along with his wife and other family members took a holy dip at Gondimalla ghat in Alampur mandal in Mahbubnagar district, while Chandrababu Naidu had a holy dip at Durga ghat in Vijayawada. Thousands took a holy dip in the river Krishna in the two Telugu States and offered prayers in temples located along the banks of the river.

Speaking to the media later, KCR said his predecessors did not develop temples in Telangana region and created an impression that Godavari pushkaralu means at Rajahmundry and Krishna Pushkaralu at Vijayawada. KCR visited Jogulamba temple in Alampur and performed special puja to the goddess. He also visited Balabrahmeshwar Swami. He said the Jogulamba temple in Alampur would be developed in consultation with Archaeological department.

It was curious to note that while Youth Congress leader and Alampur MLA Sampat Kumar was seen sitting beside Chief Minister KCR, Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy and other TRS MLAs were sitting some distance away. For the 12-day festival, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is plying 1,365 special buses from various parts of the state to the bathing ghats for transporting pilgrims. The South Central Railway is operating 655 special trains for the convenience of the devotees in the two States.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his cabinet colleagues took a holy bath at Durga Ghat in Vijayawada. Naidu along with his wife Bhuvaneshwari performed puja. Authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the festival in Kurnool, Krishna and Guntur districts by building 178 bathing ghats.